diff --git a/source4/param/provision.c b/source4/param/provision.c
index 920a5d8639e..9191400f59a 100644
--- a/source4/param/provision.c
+++ b/source4/param/provision.c
@@ -280,8 +280,10 @@ NTSTATUS provision_store_self_join(TALLOC_CTX *mem_ctx, struct loadparm_context
 			     PyLdb_FromLdbContext(ldb));
 	PyDict_SetItemString(parameters, "domain", 
 			     PyString_FromString(settings->domain_name));
-	PyDict_SetItemString(parameters, "realm", 
-			     PyString_FromString(settings->realm));
+	if (settings->realm != NULL) {
+		PyDict_SetItemString(parameters, "realm",
+				     PyString_FromString(settings->realm));
+	}
 	PyDict_SetItemString(parameters, "machinepass", 
 			     PyString_FromString(settings->machine_password));
 	PyDict_SetItemString(parameters, "netbiosname",